With the upcoming designation of a downtown historic district and proposed residential developments, the heart of Athens might change its looks.

Since 2003, the Athens-Clarke County commission has been researching the creation of a downtown historic district that would provide design standards for exterior construction on new and existing buildings.

Downtown has been a nationally registered historic district since the 1970s, but that does not affect what a property owner can do

to his or her property, said Amy Kissane, executive director of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation and a member of the committee to research a downtown historic district.

The new locally-designated district – the area contained between Thomas, Dougherty, Lumpkin and Broad streets – would protect downtown’s historic buildings and any material changes made to the exterior of the buildings, and new construction would undergo a design review process through the county government’s Historic Preservation Committee, Kissane said.

The historic preservation plan is not concerned with monitoring the use of buildings or interior alterations, Kissane said, but rather the exterior aesthetics.

“Would someone be able to blow out the facade (of a historic district building) and put up a saloon front? No,” Kissane said. But that

doesn’t mean the Historic Preservation Committee wouldn’t accept new, funky designs, she added.

The growing residential development downtown is more likely to influence the area’s flavor, Kissane said.

There are 240 residential units downtown according to documents from the Athens Downtown Development Authority.

With two proposed highrises in addition to two others in the beginning construction phases, that number could more than triple in the coming years.

An unnamed development between Willow Street and Foundry Street and The Rialto on College Avenue are multi-story, mixed-use buildings that would add hundreds of new units downtown, according to documents from the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission.

“Continuing to increase the density of residential and commercial uses downtown is a community goal as determined during the county-wide masterplan development several years ago and has long been a goal of the Downtown Authority,” Art Jackson, former director of the Athens Downtown Development Authority, wrote in an e-mail.

More development downtown means more greenspace in the county and transit system improvements, Jackson wrote.

More residential space also could benefit downtown businesses.

“I think it’s super,” said Rusty Heery, owner of Heery’s Clothes Closet, Heery’s Too! and other downtown property. “Hopefully, it’s going to bring us customers and start to solve a traffic problem.”

Since students could park at their building, more people might walk places, relieving traffic congestion, Heery said.

But living downtown can be a mixed bag for students.

Charlotte Butler, who has lived on Clayton Street above Classic City Saloon since fall semester, said that although living downtown is a fun experience, students should be prepared for the noise and distractions that come with the location.

“My commute to work is two flights of stairs,” said Butler, who works at Firehouse.

But there are drawbacks.

“I got my first C last semester,” she said.

The costs of downtown parking, rent and utilities also are higher than living other places, but Butler said she would recommend it for a year to anyone.

“If you can afford to get a C, do it,” she said.